Child Protection

What is Child Abuse?

Child Protection

What is Child Abuse?

Child abuse occurs when an individual misuses their power to harm or exploit a child. The power imbalance arises from factors such as size, position, knowledge, or financial control, making the child vulnerable and unable to stop the abusive behaviour.

An abuser leverages their position of power, while the child’s vulnerability stems from fewer available resources. Children are often physically smaller and weaker, less intellectually mature, and economically dependent on the abuser or another adult. This imbalance creates an environment where the misuse of power combined with opportunity, can lead to child abuse.

Understanding this dynamic along with knowledge of the different forms of abuse and neglect is critical to recognizing situations where a child may be at risk, ensuring that safeguards are in place to protect their well-being and prevent harm.

Physical abuse occurs when a parent, guardian, or caregiver intentionally inflicts physical harm on a child. This may also be a result of unrestrained or overzealous attempts to discipline. 
Examples may include a violent battery with a weapon (knife, belt, strap, or other instruments), burning, shaking, kicking, choking, fracturing bones, and any variety of non-accidental injuries to a child’s body.

Sexual abuse occurs when an individual, whether male or female, exploits a child to fulfill their sexual desires. This can involve coercion—either physical or verbal—where the child is forced, persuaded, enticed, seduced, exposed, or manipulated into engaging in sexual acts. Such acts may include fondling, intercourse, incest, or exploitation through child pornography or prostitution. It is crucial to recognize that children are never truly capable of giving consent or effectively resisting such contact due to their vulnerability and lack of power in these situations. Sexual abuse not only violates the child’s physical and emotional boundaries but can also have lasting, devastating effects on their mental health and well-being.

The persistent emotional ill-treatment of a child such as to causes severe and lasting adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. Children exposed to emotional abuse may experience being locked in a closet, being deprived of any sign of parental affection, being constantly told they are bad or stupid, or being allowed or forced to use alcohol or drugs. Emotional abuse is often very difficult to prove and is devastating to the victim, sending a message to the child of worthlessness, badness, and being not only unloved but undeserving of love and care.

Abuse in which physical, sexual, or psychological violations of a child are inflicted regularly, intentionally, and in a stylized way by a person or persons responsible for the child’s welfare. The abuser may appeal to some higher authority or power to justify the abuse. The abuse may also include cruel treatment of animals or repeated threats of harm to a child and other persons. Reports of ritual abuse are often extremely horrifying and may seem too grim to be true. However, children making such reports must not be ignored.

Neglect occurs when a parent or guardian fails to provide the child with basic needs, love, and care. It involves the absence of essential support required for the child’s physical, emotional, and developmental well-being. Examples include: withholding of food, clothing, and medical care; failing to provide access to education; neglecting the child’s need for affection, emotional support, affirmation of their self-worth, leaving a child on his own and allowing the child to be exposed to harm.